Owl update

Things have been unexpectedly quiet on the migrant front (although I have high expectations for tomorrow) so I thought I would use my time to check up on my local breeding owls.

The Long-eared Owls surprised me by already being out of the nest! This is extremely early for Norway and means egg laying already at the end of March. Such early breeding must mean that there was a lot of rodents but it seems that the situation may have changed. I only saw a single youngster plus an adult despite careful searching. Unless the other youngsters have been predated (or eggs never hatched) it suggests that there was only enough food to raise a single youngster to the fledging stage (although that is still a couple of months offs).

Tawny Owl is well known to breed early if conditions are right and I have seen lots of pictures already of young out of the nest. The nest I follow has clearly not been this far advanced but today I heard a quiet squeak from a youngster and an adult was perched up nearby. I reckon it is at least a week before the young will leave this nest.

young Long-eared Owl (hornugle) already out of the nest

adult Tawny Owl (kattugle) close to the nest

not often I see Great Spotted Woodpecker (flaggspett) on the ground

The Mute Swan (knoppsvane) pair in Maridalen whose breeding attempt has failed for the second year running

toads

swan and toad

the Mute Swans are not the only large birds whose breeding attempt has failed. The Crane pair have failed again for the 3rd to 4th year running

Goshawks (hønsehauk) though are doing well (so far) with both nests in Maridalen occupied although seeing the bird form ground level is not always easy